For the First Time
by GirlWithABook
Summary: Bill was her best friend, but now they're at Hogwarts, and he won't even look at her. He's too cool for that. Even her closest friends have decided they like him more than her. For the first time in her life, Samantha was alone.


**For the First Time**

In the early stages of childhood, children are children. There are no reputations to be wary of. When we are young children, there are only friends. But sadly, those times come to an end, and it did quite abruptly for Bill and Samantha.

They're now in their sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and, if I may, would like to share their story with you.

It began here…

**oOo**

"_Mum, I can't find Teddy!" cried a six-year-old girl in distress. Her dark-brown, almost black, hair stuck out at odd angles from the day's adventures. The little girl, Samantha, and her mother had been shopping at Diagon Alley for the majority of the day, and the last thing her tired, and five-month pregnant, mother needed was a search of everywhere they'd just been. _

"_Dear, we can't go back and look everywhere. I'll try and summon it, but if that doesn't work, we'll have to go home." _

_Samantha nodded, her eyes filled with worried tears for her beloved Teddy. _

"_Excuse me, is this yours?" Samantha and her mother turned to see a plump woman with a friendly smile and red hair holding Teddy. Two young boys, one about six, Samantha's age, and one probably around four, clung to the woman's skirt, both with her flaming red hair. _

"_Teddy!" Samantha cried in delight, running forward and hugging the nice woman. "Thank you!" _

"_You're welcome, dear. Bill is the same way with his toy broomstick, aren't you?" She ruffled the older boy's hair, and he squirmed away. _

"_Mum!" _

_Samantha giggled. _

"_Would you like to come over for tea?" asked Mrs. Weasley to Samantha's mother. Exhausted, she nodded, and Samantha and Bill became fast friends that afternoon, playing in the field with his toy broomstick, and making mud pies by the pond._

**oOo**

Over time, Bill and Samantha became something like siblings. He was very protective of her, you see. No one would ever hurt _his_ Samantha…

**oOo**

"_Give it back!" Samantha yelled, lashing out at a mean older boy who was holding her book above a nasty looking mud puddle. Another boy was holding Samantha's arms behind her back so she couldn't do anything about it._

"_Aww, what are you going to do, now? This'll teach you for getting us in trouble!" Samantha had noticed that they were taking sweets from a candy store, and told the shop owner. They had to pay the owner back for everything they'd stolen. _

"_Yeah," chimed in the one who was old Samantha. _

"_Let me go!" Samantha wriggled and writhed, but his grip was to strong. Samantha began to panic. She didn't like being held like that. She couldn't get away, no matter how hard she tried. "LET ME GO!" she screamed, kicking out. She began to cry, only to the delight of the older boys._

"_Look, guys, she's crying. She's nothing but a crybaby," he teased, waving the book tauntingly over the puddle. _

"_Don't call me that!" Samantha said defiantly. "You're nothing but a bully!" _

"_Watch who you call a bully, squirt!" _

"_Hey, leave her alone!" Samantha's heart soared as she saw Bill marching toward her. They were nine now, and Bill towered above everyone else his own age, and older. For instance, he was at least three inches taller than the tallest boy in the gang of bullies that where picking on Samantha. _

"_Ooh, is your boyfriend gonna come to your rescue?" asked the one holding the book. "How sweet." A chorus of "Aww" could be heard from the bullies. _

"_You let go of her right now!" Bill commanded, his hands balled up into fists. _

"_What are you going to do, huh? Punch me?" asked the one holding Samantha. This had not occurred to Bill, but it sounded like a good idea to him, so he did. _

_He pulling his fist back and punched the boy as hard as he could in the nose. The boy tumbled backward, dropping Samantha's book. It landed next to the mud puddle, in the powder-dry dirt. _

_The boy who had been holding Samantha dropped her, and she fell to the ground, scraping her knee on the dirt, but her favorite book was more important at the moment. She scrambled up and ran over to it, picking it up and wiping it off with her sleeve. _

_The boy Bill had punched now had a bloody nose, and he seemed close to tears. "Let's get out of here," he told the others, and they nodded, mumbling in agreement. After they'd gone, Bill walked over to Samantha, who was still kneeling on the ground. _

"_Are you alright, Sammy?" he asked. "Your knee's bleeding."_

"_I'm fine," Samantha assured him, picking herself up off the ground. "Thanks for rescuing me." _

_Bill smiled. "What are friends for?" _

**oOo**

But just two years later, that statement would come back to haunt not just Bill, but Samantha as well. You see, Bill was starting Hogwarts, and he wanted to make lots of friends. Within the first week, Bill _had _made lots of new friends.

But his new friends didn't like Samantha. She was a pesky little girl in their eyes, and Bill and his friends' reputations would be _ruined_ if they were seen with hanging about with a _girl_. Girls were no fun when it came to Quidditch and things like that.

What was poor Bill to do? Forget all about Samantha, and keep hanging around with his new, cool friends?

Of course.

**oOo**

"_Bill, do you want to study with me for the quiz in Transfiguration tomorrow?" asked Samantha, walking up to him in the Gryffindor common room. _

_He didn't turn around to look at her. His friends snickered. _

_Samantha was confused. "Bill, didn't you hear me?" _

_His friends laughing became louder. One of them turned to Samantha. "Why would he want to study with _you_?" _

"_Yeah," another laughed, "what makes _you_ so _special_." _

"_He's my friend," explained Samantha._

"_Ooooh," they taunted. "Are you in looooove?" _

"_NO!" Samantha blushed furiously. "Bill, why won't you talk to me?" _

_Bill's friends laughed and shook their heads, turning around to join Bill. _

_Samantha had always been bright when it came to social interaction and body language, but she came up short when it came to Bill acting this way all of the sudden. _

**oOo**

Over the next few days, dear little Samantha kept trying to get through to Bill, but nothing worked. And she finally had to admit the truth. He was ignoring her on purpose. He didn't want to be friends with her anymore.

One day, in middle of Transfiguration class, people were pairing up to work together on a new charm they had learned…

**oOo**

_Everyone had a partner except Bill, Samantha, and a mean Slytherin boy that had been teasing Samantha ever since she arrived at Hogwarts. _

_Samantha smiled. There was no way Bill would choose that Slytherin as a partner. Everything would turn around now, because when they were partners, Bill had to talk to her. And none of his friends were there to interfere as they always did. _

_Bill looked at Samantha, and she smiled brilliantly, waving him over happily. But shook his head, and walked over to the empty seat by the Slytherin. _

_For the first time in her life, Bill Weasley broke Samantha's heart. _

_The whole class had laughed at her, and all because of Bill. _

_She had jumped up from her seat, sick of his indifferent attitude toward her. "I HATE YOU, BILL WEASLEY!" she had yelled, running out of the classroom. The thing that hurt Samantha the most was that he didn't even seem upset by it. _

_It almost seemed like he preferred it that way. _

**oOo**

Bill and Samantha didn't talk for years.

But one day, in their fourth year, Bill had a momentary fit of gallantry, and offered Samantha a seat next to him and his friends when she didn't have anywhere else to sit.

**oOo**

_Samantha blushed horribly. She had nowhere to sit. Her friends were all at Hogsmead with their dates. Samantha hadn't been asked, so she stayed. She walked up to the Gryffindor table, feeling increasingly stupid. _

"_Hey, Samantha, do you need somewhere to sit?" Samantha looked in the direction to where she'd heard the voice. Bill Weasley smiled at her, patting a place next to her at the table._

"_Oh, really? Thank you." Samantha was overjoyed. Maybe he'd finally realized that he still wanted to be her friend. _

_She soon realized it wasn't so. _

_She watched in horror as Bill proved to be just as crude and foul-mouthed as the rest of the boys. He swore horribly and unnecessarily, and he thought the most inappropriate jokes that were a great insult to women very entertaining and funny. _

_What had happened in just four short years that had turned the sweet Bill Weasley she had known all those years ago into such a hormonal…_monster_. _

_For the first time first time in her life, Samantha hated Bill Weasley with all of her broken heart. _

**oOo**

Samantha swore she would never talk to that horrid boy again. He was nothing more than any of the other sex-obsessed jerks at this school.

Her friends laughed at her when she told them her conclusion. They told her that's how boys were supposed to act.

But Samantha didn't believe a word of it.

**oOo**

"_Isn't Bill Weasley the cutest?" giggled Samantha's friend Ariel. Her dirty-blonde hair was pulled back in a bouncy ponytail, and she toyed with the end of it as she went on about how wonderful he was. _

"_He's so charming and funny. And he's so good at Quidditch, not to mention he's just my type!"_

_Bella, another one of Samantha's close friends, chimed in as well. "And he's such a gentlemen." _

"_What are you talking about?" asked Samantha. "Haven't you ever heard what he talks about with his mates? It's disgusting!" _

_Bella and Ariel just laughed. "Samantha, that's what they're supposed to talk about. They're _boys_." _

"_That's no excuse for treating women like objects!" continued Samantha angrily. "They talk about sex like it's some part of their daily routine! Does that mean nothing to you?" _

_Ariel and Bella exchanged looks. "Samantha," Ariel began in a superior tone, "you don't know anything about boys. You just don't have the experience." _

"_I don't need experience! Do you think that sort of talk is _all right_?" _

"_You just wouldn't understand, Samantha," Bella said. "You've never even had a boyfriend. You don't know what you're talking about." Ariel laughed along with Bella, and then walked away._

_Samantha watched them go. Strangely enough, she wasn't sorry to see them go. She didn't want friends like them, anyway. _

_Even if it meant being a friendless loser. _

**oOo**

Needless to say, Samantha was a very extraordinary girl. She was mature beyond her years, which, in Hogwarts, made her stick out like a sore thumb.

She frowned upon dirty jokes and talking about "getting laid". She thought it was untactful and trashy.

Over time, because of these opinions, people labeled her as snooty. To them, it seemed like she thought she was above everyone else.

In a way, they were right. Samantha had standards for friends. And none she saw here were mature enough to fit her requirements.

And she was perfectly fine with that. That is, until her former friends turned against her.

**oOo**

_Samantha, now fifteen, walked down the main road of Hogsmead, alone. There was another group of Gryffindor fifth years hanging around the outside of the Three Broomsticks. Samantha's heart fell when she realized that Bill was among them. _

_She had really been looking forward to that butter beer. Samantha turned around, but a voice called her back. One she was not expecting to hear. _

"_Hey, Samantha! Long time no see!" Samantha turned around to see Ariel, wrapped quite inappropriately around none other than Bill. Her voice did not sound friendly. _

"_Yeah," Samantha answered uneasily. "You too." _

"_Wow you guys," chimed in Bella, who was pressed up against one of Bill's friends, "I can't believe she's actually talking to us. I feel so honored." Bella's sarcasm stung Samantha more than she would have admitted. Not to mention the laughing that followed Bella's comment. _

"_Yeah, what happened?" called Bill's friend that had his hand firmly pressed against Bella's bottom. "Did you finally lose it or something?" _

_Samantha was confused by his comment. "What do you-Oh…" Samantha's face burned with embarrassment. He had meant her virginity. _

_When had they become so cruel? _

_And how could Bill laugh along with them. It was like their past had never happened. Samantha couldn't believe she had ever called him her best friend._

_Samantha's eyes filled with tears, and she fled in the other direction, not bothering to whip them away. _

_For the first time in her life, Bill Weasley made Samantha cry. _

**oOo**

And now, dear readers, I bring you the present day Bill and Samantha. Things had gotten better for Samantha. Yes, she was still a friendless loser to other people, but she was happy. She was getting excellent grades, and had already been offered acceptances into the Ministry of Magic itself.

For Samantha's former friends, things didn't turn out so well.

Ariel dropped out of Hogwarts at the end of her sixth year after coming up pregnant after a one-night stand after she'd broken up with Bill.

Bella failed three of her classes after skipping out to spend time with her boyfriend that had been cheating on her the whole time. She was forced to take several remedial courses.

And, yes, there is a reason I saved Bill for last.

He's been quite fortunate. He's captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and excels in almost all his classes. He's looking into a promising future as a Curse-Breaker.

But now, on the night of their Hogwarts graduation, he was feeling something he hadn't felt in a long time. Guilt.

**oOo**

_Something had been bothering Bill all night. But he couldn't put his finger on it. What would he have to be bothered by? He'd just graduated from Hogwarts for Merlin's sake! He was surrounded by his friends and family. He should be having the time of his life._

_And he was. There was just someone missing. Someone he hadn't talked to in years. _

_Bill saw her from across the room. She was dressed up like the rest of the graduates. But she looked so different at the same time. Instead of the tacky cocktail dresses that the other girls wore, Samantha was dressed in a plain, flower-printed summer dress. _

_It was very modest, and even more surprising, she wasn't wearing any make-up. Now that Bill thought of it, he'd never seen her wearing any. _

_She was talking with her family. It was nice how happy she looked. Another wave of guilt washed over Bill as he watched her laugh along with the rest of her guests. How could he have been so cruel to her? _

_Why did he do all those things to her? She hadn't deserved any of it. And yet, she'd stayed strong though the whole thing, and she'd certainly come out on top. She had been appointed Head Girl after all. Bill had been appointed Head Boy as well. _

_But nothing had changed. He'd been the same insensitive arse he'd always been, inviting his friends into their private common room without asking. She would never have done something so rude. _

_Bill could have hit himself. He needed to apologize for all those years of torment. And he needed to do it _now_. He couldn't live with himself another moment if he didn't. _

_He made his way, as if in slow motion, towards Samantha. He caught her eye as he approached and she looked past her mother's shoulder at him in shock. "Bill?" she asked quietly. _

_Her younger sister, who was in her first year, blushed and hid behind their mother's skirt. _

"_Yeah," said Bill sheepishly, feeling quite warm under her gaze. "Could I talk to you?" He glanced at her relatives. "In private," he added. _

_She eyed him coolly. She was in no hurry to forgive Bill for seven years of the cold shoulder. "I have guests," she reminded him shortly. _

"_Don't be rude, Samantha," Samantha's mother cut in, smiling at her daughter. "Give the poor boy a chance." She smiled at Bill, but her eyes told him that she knew about everything he'd done to her daughter. _

_Bill was now angrier than ever with himself. He'd never once considered anyone else's feelings but his own. How could he have been so selfish? _

"_But, Mum-Oh, very well," Samantha gave in unwillingly. She followed Bill out of the Great Hall and out into the empty Entrance Hall. _

_The minute they were alone, she rounded on him. "You have some nerve, William Weasley." Her voice trembled with rage. Bill took a step back. She'd never called him William before. Then again, he'd never given her the chance. _

"_I know, and I'm sorry." Bill took a step toward her, taking her hands. "I'm sorry, Sammy." Samantha gasped. He hadn't called her that since they were children. _

_Anger bubbled up inside Samantha like a kettle left on a burner unattended. _

_That's exactly what she was: a small, old-fashioned kettle naïve enough to think that the first person to pick her up and polish her off, or help her up from the dirt when bullies picked on her, was the one that would stand by her side until she was just the right temperature, no matter what his friends said. But that poor little kettle had been left on the stove, all alone. And one day, she was sure she would boil over with all the anger and sadness that she'd kept inside. _

_That time was now. _

_Samantha drew back her hand and slapped Bill across the face as hard as she could. He didn't act surprised at all._

"_I deserved that," he said simply._

"_You're damn right, you did," Samantha hissed lividly. "After all these years you decide to pull me aside and tell me you're sorry. And you expect me to forgive you just like that?"_

"_No, Sammy, I-"_

"_Shut up," she snapped coldly. "You have no right to call me that after what you did. You have no right to-"_

"_I know, Sammy-Samantha. I'm so, so sorry. Please, I can't leave Hogwarts knowing that you still hate me." _

"_You're pathetic, Weasley. You're just realizing how much you hurt me? That's just as bad as what you did! Where were you back in fifth year when your friends where teasing me. Where were you when you friends told me you didn't want to hang out with me in first year? Huh, Bill? Tell me that?"_

_Bill hung his head. "I can't," he said sadly. "I have no excuse." _

"_Why now, Bill?" asked Samantha. _

_Bill swallowed. "Because," he looked up at Samantha with sad eyes, "when I saw you from across the hall tonight, I realized that you're different. You're special, Samantha, and I hate myself for not realizing it sooner. Please forgive me, Samantha." _

_He took her hands in his. "The truth is, I think I...I think I love you." _

_Samantha looked down at her hands in Bill's, and then back up at his face. Ariel had been right. He'd always been very handsome. _

_She leaned up on her tip-toes and kissed him on the cheek. She took a step back after that. "I would say that I'm sorry, Bill," she said quietly, "but I'm not." _

_She reached up and brushed a lock of hair out of Bill's eyes. "Someday, you're going to find a woman that will make your dreams come true, and she will suite you perfectly, and you'll complement each other perfectly. But it won't be me." _

_Samantha walked back to the entrance of the Great Hall. "I'm not that girl, Bill. You lost your chance." _

_And for the first time in her life, Samantha walked away with her head held high. Just like she was born to do. _

**oOo**

Dear readers, I would hope this would teach you a vital life lesson, and this is coming from my personal experience. Even if your closest friends decide that they're too cool for you, and everyone thinks you're a loser for not trying to fit in and use foul language and tell dirty jokes to earn respect from peers that don't deserve your friendship in the first place, don't lose hope.

Because one day you'll walk away with your head held high, and they'll be left in the dust you left behind, because you will have moved on, and they will have lost their chance.

It's their loss, and even if it doesn't seem like it now, they will look back and regret the things they did.

**oOo**

Disclaimer: Samantha (c) Me; Everything Harry Potter (c) J.


End file.
